The One I Trust
by Catherineneeds
Summary: When Catherine saves Arthur from a rather unfortunate fate, her whole life is turned around as she encounters friendship, family and love.
1. Chapter 1

Trees. Miles and miles of trees. I wrapped my jacket more tightly around my shivering body; the late winter frost biting mercilessly at my exposed skin.I was beginning to think that I would never get out of these woods before nightfall. I had heard stories of the dark, dangerous and magical beings that prowled these woods once the safety of the Sun had dispersed. I had no intention to linger, so I spurred my horse into a canter. A few miles later, I slowed my horse to a standstill so I could make sure that my course was the right one. I rummaged through my bag to extract my father's map of the surrounding area. The gentle afternoon breeze stirred around me, whipping the calming scent of the nearby lavendars. The smell brought familiar memories of my old home back. I revelled in the few moments of peace I was able to cling onto.

My blissful state of mind was soon shatttered by the sound of horse hooves and warrior cries. I quickly thrust the map back into my bag and heightened my senses. I whipped my head around to be faced with four men on horseback thundering toward me. Bandits. That's all that I need right now. I bared my teeth in frustration and anger as I unsheathed my sword, threatening the bandits to come any closer. Sounds of metal clashing on metal resonated around the surrounding trees as I deflected a blow.

We fought fiercely for what felt like hours; I could already feel my well trained arms tiring from the intense work they were being put through. My guard slipped momentarliy and I was thrown from my horse onto the damp forest floor. I leapt back to my feet as I heard the sound of approaching horses. The men surrounding me turned toward the sound, giving me the opportunity to strike. I plunged my sword deep into one the men's sides as he cried out in pain. Withdrawing my sword, I turned to face the new arrivals.

The two men dismounted. One of them wore chainmail and heavy armour. He had the crest of Camelot emblazened across his toned chest. I instantly recognised him as Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot. I wonder what he is doing so far from his home? The other man was quite different from the first. He was a little shorter and had short, black messy hair. His intense blue eyes and sharp jawline made him very handsome. He stood back from the fighting, keeping his eyes focused on the King.

The King and I launched into an intense battle with the surprised bandits. One of the larger looking bandits hurled himself at me, probably assuming that as I was a woman I was probably the easiest to kill. I sprang up, flipping my body over his head, using his shoulders as a spring board. Catching him off guard I used his weakness to my advantage. I brought my sword up to meet his exposed arm, causing his blood to flow rapidly from his open wound. The shock knocked him to the floor. My sword seemed to raise of its own accord and pierce the mans rib. Wrenching my sword free of the now dead bandits chest, I whirled around to see the last remaining bandit head towards a vulnerable Arthur.

"Sire, look out!" I shouted as I leapt in front of the King and took the blow the bandit was intending to deliver to the nobleman. Searing pain pierced my side as the sword sank into me.

That's when everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on Merlin, we need to get back to Camelot." Arthur's commanding voice rang through my ears.

"I'm coming, Sire!" I bent down to pick up the bags that had fallen loose from my horse. I re-fastened the straps and mounted my white horse once again. I spurred my horse into a gallop in order to catch up with the King.

"Merlin, sometimes I think you are completely useless. Your stupidity never fails to amaze me." Arthur scolded as I reached his side, breathless from the fast paced gallop. He really has no idea how many times I have saved his royal backside.

"Sorry, Sire." I muttered, smirking.

"Of course you're not Merlin; you're just saying that to get me off your case."

Our bickering ground to a halt as we both registered the cries of pain and a swordfight. Looking at each other knowingly, we galloped towards the sounds with the objective of aiding whoever was being attacked. Reaching the glen, we dismounted and took in the scene. Four bandits had managed to encircle a tall woman, who was standing in a defensive stance. The four men whirled round as we entered the glen; I noticed that more than one of them were missing teeth and bleeding. The woman, seeing her chance to strike, lunged towards one of the men. She moved with grace and familiarity. She wore breeches and riding boots, both caked in mud. Her shirt hung well across her muscular torso. Her hair was flowing freely in the wind, each individual curl dancing a different dance. She was, mesmerising.

The King immediately leapt into the fight, recognising the woman as the one in need of help, even though she seemed to be managing well on her own. I kept a close eye on him, making sure he would stay unharmed. My destiny bound me to him, no matter how I sometimes wished otherwise. I was distracted by a ferocious cry that had leapt from the mouth of one of the larger, more unfortunate bandits. Noticing that the woman was the one to have slain him, I couldn't help but feel a little bit impressed.

"Sire, look out!" The woman cried out, throwing herself toward the King. She moved too fast; I was unable to stop her from harming herself. The bandits sword bit savagely into her side, removing her of her consciousness. As the King went to dispatch of the final bandit, I rushed to the woman, kneeling at her side.

I assessed her body, seeing how much damage she had endured. The sword had delved deep into her, I frowned in worry. Who knew if she would make it back to Camelot alive? I ripped a strip of my shirt and bandaged up the wound as best I could. I lifted her surprisingly light body up and tied her carefully to her own horse. A cry of pain and a thud on the floor informed me that the remaining bandit no longer remained.

"We're going to need to get her back to Camelot." Arthur said, a grave tone penetrating his voice. I nodded solemnly and mounted my own horse. I held onto the reign of both my horse and the woman's. We rode and rode until the familiar stone of Camelot loomed on the horizon. We gathered a few confused and worried looks as we rode through the lower town and the market. Gaius waited for us in the courtyard, worry etched across his wrinkled face. Arthur leapt from his horse, untied the woman, and carried her up the steps and into the bustling castle. I mirrored his first action, and then went about gathering our bags faster than I ever had before. I followed the King through corridors and stairwells until we reached Gaius' quarters.

Gaius leapt into action, asking me to fetch buckets of water and herbs. I followed his orders dutifully, concerned for the safety of the unnamed woman.

"When did this happen?" Gaius questioned Arthur.

"A matter of hours ago in the Darkling wood. She had been ambushed by bandits and she took a blow intended for me." he sighed, "She saved my life. I cannot let her lose her own after what she has done for me."

"Don't panic, Sire. I will do my utmost best to keep her alive." Gaius replied with a bow of his head. The King bowed also and left so he could attend to his royal duties. Hours of potion making and bandaging dragged by. My hope slowly deteriorating with every second that passed.

"Please, Gaius. Tell me you can save her. Tell me she will be alright." The worry and panic on my face wound its way into my voice.

"I cannot promise anything. Only time will tell. We may need to resort to extremes." Gaius muttered knowingly at me. I immediately understood what he was getting at. Magic. Maybe the only thing that could save her. I nodded my head and raced over to the woman's side. I raised my hand over her wound, preparing myself for the large amount of energy that would soon be drained from me.

"Þurhhæle licsar min" The words slipped from my lips, my eyes glowing orange. Gaius and I shielded our eyes from the blinding light and the scorching heat. The spell was an old one, but it did the job. According to Gaius, it's crude, but it works. It heated her skin to coagulate her blood and cauterize the wound.

We sat back in waiting. We had to let her sleep and regain her strength. Any normal man would not have lasted as long as she did. Gaius told me that her immense strength and courage was the cause. I agreed with him, but an inkling inside me said otherwise. This inkling only whispered one word over and over.

_Magic, magic, magic._


	3. Chapter 3

My mind is fuzzy, the last remnants of a dream being chased away by the realisation that I am awake again. It was an odd dream; it involved bandits and a forest and... Oh my! The memories from the previous day surged through my brain like a tidal wave. With a mental sigh, I allowed my brain to focus and cautiously opened one eye. The bright spring sunlight cuts the room in half and I saw dust-motes dancing in the wall of light. I tried to drag my body into an upright position, but I was dragged back down in protest by a throbbing headache and a sharp sting from my side.

"Welcome to Camelot." I was not as alone as I had originally thought. I took in the comforting presence by the side of my bed. His face was highlighted by the morning sun glaring through the small windows. It took my brain a while to match his face to the one in my dream.

"I'm in Camelot?" I croaked out in reply.

"Yes. You've been asleep for three days now." He brought a damp cloth up to my forehead, soothing my pounding headache into a much more bearable beat.

"Three days?!" Astonishment and surprise dominated my neglected voice. He chuckled at my reaction, his chuckle oozing warmth and compassion.

"Gaius and I have been looking after you." I blushed, not used to others being so kind to me willingly.

"Thank you. You are very kind." I smiled politely at the intriguing young man. A comfortable silence fell between us. The boy was the first to speak.

"I never asked you your name."

"Oh! How rude of me. My name is Lady Catherine, but let's dispense of the formalities. Just call me Catherine."

"I had no idea I was in the presence of nobility." He mocked bowed, making me laugh. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Catherine. I'm Merlin." He extended his hand for me to shake. I gladly took it, his skin smooth and comforting against my own.

"Nice to meet you Merlin." Another comfortable silence hung between us, both of us caught up in the others eyes. Until now, I never noticed the hypnotic blue that dominated his eyes. Realising that we were still holding hands, I blushed and withdrew my hand from his own, looking down in embarrassment. He chuckled again, reaching for a bandage.

"Your wound has healed nicely, but I'm going to have to change the bandage." motioning towards my side. I nodded and lifted up my shirt to give Merlin better access to the wound. Noticing my exposed skin, Merlin blushed slightly. I found it hard to suppress a smile whenever his skin brushed against my own.

We both jumped slightly as Arthur burst through the door. His eyes scanned the room and settled on me, smiling as he approached.

"Ah, I see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better; I would be feeling a lot worse if it wasn't for the wonderful care I have had." I glanced at Merlin, smiling appreciatively. He blushed again, my compliment drawing the corners of his mouth up to form a shy smile.

"I must thank you, for what you did. You saved my life. I am forever in your debt." He stopped himself, realisation dawning upon him. "I apologise, I don't even know your name."

"Lady Catherine. But please, call me Catherine."

He smiled, taking my hand and kissing it lightly, "The honour is all mine. So, whereabouts were you headed?"

"Actually, I was heading for Camelot. I was lucky you two found me when you did."

"You seemed to be coping very well on your own. May I say, you are an excellent swordsman. Well, swordswoman I should say."

"Thank you," blushing at the compliment. "My father taught me everything he knew. He was once a Knight of Camelot."

Arthur's eyebrows raised in interest. "What is your father's name? Maybe I know of him."

"Sir Robert. Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago." Sympathy flooded over Merlin's and Arthur's features.

"I am sorry for your loss. I know what it is like to lose a father." Grief shadowed his face. Merlin was quick to comfort him; I could see how much Merlin cared for his King, how he wanted to protect him. I was already pretty sure that he would do anything for Arthur, no matter how dangerous. Deep respect for Merlin surged through my veins. Arthur nodded appreciatively at Merlin and regained his composure. "So, what brings you to Camelot?"

Painful memories entered my train of thought, making me wince. They stung harshly at the corners of my mind. "Is everything alright?" I was quickly dragged back into the real world by the worried tone of Arthur's voice. I shook my head slightly, in the hope to expel the thoughts that often plagued my dreams.

"Yes, everything is fine. Just some bad memories, that is all."

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Merlin's voice calming me, making me feel safe. I looked up at him, gentleness running through his eyes.

"It's no problem, I will tell you." I breathed in and started to tell my story.

I told them of Nemeth, my home. I told them of the misery that plagued my memory of it. It was a few weeks ago, the events still mapped out clearly in my head. It was night time; I had been awoken by the smell of smoke. The castle was blazing, the fires licking at everything I loved mercilessly. I tried to save my mother, but by the time I had got to her, it was too late. She had been taken by the embers. I salvaged what I could before I made my escape. Only I and a few servants made it out alive. They all ran off into the nearby forest. I tried to reason with them, tell them that I could help them if they came with me. They were having none of it. I rode and rode and rode, until I could no longer see my home. What was left of it anyway. There was only one place where I knew I could be safe: Camelot. My father had been welcomed all those years ago. I had hoped that I too would get the same reception. It was my only hope of survival, only hope of escaping the memories that haunt me so heartlessly now.

When I had finished, I realised that I had been crying. I hastily wiped the tears away, hoping to hide them from the two men that occupied my bedside. I knew they had already seen, how could they not? A reassuring hand came down on my shaking shoulder.

"Don't worry; you can stay here in Camelot for as long as you need." Arthur's tone matching the pressure on my shoulder. I smiled gratefully up at him.

"Thank you, Sire. You are very kind." He nodded in response, turning to Merlin.

"I need my armour polishing for the tournament tomorrow, my sword sharpening and my stable mucked out. Get to it!" He barked, before turning on his heel and storming out. Merlin looked apologetically at me.

"I'm sorry about him, he's always like that." I chuckled.

"It's no problem. You don't need to stay here and look after me. I plan on doing a bit of exploring anyway."

"Alright. If I don't get these jobs done then he'll probably send me to the stocks or something equally humiliating. Your horse is down in the stables by the way."

"Thank you for everything, Merlin. I'll never forget it." He blushed slightly before ducking out through the doorway. I slowly swung my legs over the side of the bed, standing up equally as slowly, testing my side. It wasn't as bad as I had thought. I gathered up my jacket and tied my shoes back on my feet, making my way to the stables.


	4. Chapter 4

The streets of Camelot were bustling with people; today being market day, business was heaving. The beauty of everyday life and the small flowers worming their way through the cracks in the pavement distracted me. My distraction caused me to crash into a young serving girl carrying a wicker basket.

"Oh my, I'm sorry!" I hurriedly went to help her pick up the fallen clothes; their fall dirtying them further. I placed the gathered clothes in the wicker basket that the girl held in her hands. "I am so sorry; I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That's alright, no harm done." She smiled. She balanced the basket skilfully on one arm, her other arm outstretched towards me. "My name is Gwen." I gladly took her hand and shook it.

"Lady Catherine." Gwen begun to bow murmuring 'my lady', but I stopped her short. "Please, there is no need. Just call me Catherine. I wish to be treated as anyone else." Gwen smiled shyly in response.

"As you wish." I stretched my arms out, asking her to hand me the basket.

"It is the least I could do. I am sure that your schedule is busy enough as it is. Please, let me do this for you." Gwen began to shake her head, refusing me. "I insist, it is the least I can do." She smiled kindly at me, handing me the basket.

"Thank you Catherine. You are very kind." I nodded my head, smiling at her as I made my way to the nearest well. I reached the well, drawing clean water to wash the clothes. I stiffened, an unfamiliar smell forcing its way into my nostrils. I gagged at its foul stench, my brain trying to put a name to it.

I looked around, hoping to find the source of the smell rudely invading my mind. A flash of movement caught me by surprise. Fortunately, I at least got a glimpse of it before it moved from my vision. Whatever it was, it surely wasn't human. It was small and green with pointed ears. Its body covered in tattoos. From what I saw, I recognised it as a goblin. What was a goblin doing in Camelot? On my travels, I had encountered a few goblins. Their mischievous personality, their power to turn into a floating light and to inhabit and control others made them dangerous creatures to reckon with.

Throughout the rest of the day, I took a stroll around Camelot, buying a few trinkets and dresses in the process. I'd always dreamed of coming to Camelot. The many stories I had heard of it were all about its wealth and beauty. The city certainly lived up to its reputation. As I was making my way back to Gaius' quarters, I was approached by one of the knights.

"My lady," He bowed respectfully and I bowed my head in return. "The King wishes to speak with you." He turned on his heel, motioning for me to follow him. I hurried to catch up with him, my feet quickening to match his pace. He led me through wide, stone corridors, past spiralling staircases; my brain already spinning at the maze like passages.

I entered the large throne room, its wall covered in fabulous tapestries and the crest of Camelot hanging proudly upon the light grey stone walls. The throne was occupied by Arthur, his crown sitting regally on his short blonde hair. The walk up to the base of the throne seeming to take eons. Reaching my destination, I curtseyed politely at the young king.

"My lord." He chuckled lightly.

"Call me Arthur." I smirked, amused that I was now on a first term basis with the King of Camelot.

"You wished to speak with me?"

"Yes. As you came to Camelot in search of protection, I am here to offer you that protection. I am offering you a place in my home. You can stay here for as long as you need. I have had a room set up for you in the South wing of the castle, if you so wish to take it."

"I had heard of you generosity, Arthur. I never realised just how deep that ran. I am blessed that you would do something like this for me."

"It is no trouble. You did save my life, I owe it to you." I bowed gratefully and turned to leave the throne room. The knight that lead me to the throne room, lead me deeper into the castle. We finally reached a wooden door where the knight bowed and left me. I entered the room, the late afternoon sun creeping through the ornate windows. A large four poster bed with scarlet red bed covers sat against the far wall grabbed my attention. The rest of the room was decorated equally as richly as the bed. I hung my new dresses in the already pretty full wardrobe.

I flopped on the bed, testing the comfort of the mattress. My mind still slightly disturbed by the goblin I had seen earlier. I couldn't keep this a secret, I had to tell someone. I raked my brain, trying to think of the best possible way to solve the situation. There was only one person I could trust.

_Merlin._


	5. Chapter 5

The newly-born morning light glared rudely at me through the slit in the curtains. I winced as I was temporarily blinded, pulling myself reluctantly from the warm embrace of the bed. I went about dressing myself and brushing the tangled mess that was my hair. My brain was engulfed with images of the ugly goblin I had seen the previous day. I was set on telling Merlin of my discovery; something inside me nudging me forward, telling me that he would be able to help. I knew my magic was strong, but goblins were tricksy creatures. You need to know what they're after before you can herd them towards their undoing. To do that, I needed someone to aid me. I had no doubt that I couldn't trust Merlin with my secret; I just wanted to keep it a secret for a while longer.

I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror that was standing proudly beside my engraved dresser. The girl staring back at me was not the same girl that lived in Nemeth. It seemed like decades since I had set foot in my hometown. I remembered how I would never be able to see the bustle of the ordinary people living their ordinary lives. I would never see Nemeth's famous ceremonies that celebrated its previous rulers. I would never see him … I snapped myself out of my deep trance, reminding myself of the job in hand. I made sure I looked presentable before I ventured out into the stone labyrinth.

My attempt to find Merlin in the maze of corridors was feeble. I was determined to have no assistance; I needed to be able to move around knowing exactly which path to take in the future, why not start training now? An eternity passed as I took several wrong turns, but I finally reached the already familiar door. The old wooden door creaked open to reveal Gaius, the court physician and Merlin's guardian.

"Catherine," he smiled politely at me, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, I was wondering if Merlin was in; I need to speak with him." Gaius noted the serious tone laced in my voice. He nodded his head, moving aside and beckoning me into his chambers. He motioned toward the door at the back of the cluttered room. I nodded politely at him, weaving my way around the tables coated in apparatus and potions my brain had trouble understanding. As I brushed past the final bench, I accidentally knocked a small bottle off balance. My quick reactions tuned into my magic, suspending the bottle in mid-air and bringing it back to its original position on the bench. Painfully aware of what I had just displayed, I looked around and released a breath I didn't know I was holding. Relief swept over me as I saw Gaius, hunched over a large leather bound book, meaning that he had not noticed my ridiculously public display. I managed to make my way to Merlin's door without and further upset. I knocked lightly, my knuckles tapping against the newly polished wood. The door soon opened to reveal a slightly dishevelled Merlin. Recognising me, he grinned and moved aside to let me pass.

"I need to talk to you; you're the only one I can trust." I made no effort to disguise the gravity of the situation. Merlin, picking up on this, motioned for me to sit down next to him. I walked over to the bed, sitting down a comfortable distance from the young boy.

"What's troubling you?" His eyebrows furrowed in worry. I hesitated, looking down into my lap where my hands were fidgeting nervously. Noticing my hesitance, he placed his hand encouragingly on my leg, urging me to confide in him. "You can trust me." Very aware of his hand, I blushed slightly and looked up at him; his expression matched that of his hand. I inhaled, composing myself before letting Merlin into my thoughts.

I told him everything. My thoughts were tumbling rapidly from my tongue, giving my brain little chance to control what I was saying. While I was relating my story, Merlin's eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. He gave me his undivided attention, never tearing his captivating eyes from mine. As I finished my story, a deep silence fell between us. Merlin was the first to speak.

"I saw it too." My eyes widened slightly in surprise. "I also have a theory on why it's here. The tournament that is coming up has the prize of 500 gold coins. Goblins cannot resist gold and 500 gold coins is an amount a goblin would take the effort to steal."

"The trouble it could cause worries me; we're going to need to do something about it before it can hurt anyone." Merlin nodded in agreement. "Have you got any ideas?"

"A goblin's weakness is lead. If we could find or make a lead container of some kind, we could trap it in that. We could lure it into the box with gold." Merlin suggested. I nodded in agreement. We discussed our plan further, arranging everything and distributing jobs between us. I got the job of finding or making a lead box, Merlin had to get his hands on some gold.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Merlin questioned.

"For everything. Everything you have done and have agreed to do for me. You are a true friend." I wrapped my arms around Merlin, putting all of my feelings into that hug. Initially, Merlin seemed surprised at my forwardness. Eventually, he mimicked my own actions, wrapping his arms around me. As we hugged, we melted into each other's arms. I felt safe, and comfortable. I began to lose track of where my body ended and his began.

The beauty of the moment was, however, destroyed as we heard Gaius close his hefty book. We untangled our bodies, both of us blushing and smiling like there was no tomorrow. I bid farewell to Merlin; the boy who had managed to worm his way further into my heart than I could ever imagine.


	6. Chapter 6

"Merlin!" I groaned in frustration. Arthur was being exceptionally demanding today and was taking it out on me. I felt like I had done a weeks worth of jobs in a matter of hours. My arms ached from physical exertion and my brain was in top gear so I could remember each and every one of my mountain of jobs that needed to be done. Recently, a small corner of my mind was always reserved for other thoughts. Lately, they had been swamped with thoughts of Catherine. She had invaded my mind, drowned me in her beauty and drawn me in.

Arthur marched up to me, barking jobs and tasks for me to complete. I sighed, knowing that I would never get them done any time soon. I noticed that Arthur was grinning from ear to ear, I smirked.

"Did you sleep with a hanger in your mouth?" I jested, my smirk increasing further. Arthur slapped me around the head, but his grin stayed on.

"Shut up Merlin." He nudged me playfully as he passed by, a spring in his step. As I walked, my mind was again submerged by her. I'm being silly, I've only known her for a few days! Most of them were spent with her unconcious! I had no idea I could fall so fast, fall so hard, fall so deep...

"Merlin! Merlin!" I whipped around and saw Gwen running towards me, a smile plastered across her face. "I've got some news for you!" Her long run had left her breathless, her heart pounding a million times a second.

"Did he finally do it?" She nodded, throwing her arms around me, wrapping me so tightly that I swear she stopped the blood flowing to my head. I laughed with her, congratulating her. She eventually released me from her embrace, showing me the large diamond ring that was proudly encasing her ring finger. The large diamond had two smaller rubies set either side of it. I took her hand to admire it at a closer angle.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Gwen was buzzing; I assumed that this engagement had only been proposed recently.

"It is, very beautiful." _But not as beautiful as her_. Oh shut up brain. Gwen launched into a full on description of Arthur's proposal. Apparently, he had arranged a special dinner for her on a private balcony overlooking the city. It was their special spot; Gwen loved to look out at the stars when she had the time. I made my excuses and left Gwen to it.

A sudden spark of movement alerted my senses. Living in Camelot had trained me in the art of observation; it had helped me many a time. I followed the movement, getting a second flash of what had caused it. I snuck around the side of a store room, peering in to see a goblin rummaging desperately through the large wooden crates. A goblin. I had met a goblin before; I had accidentally set it free when I found a secret chamber. It had possessed Gaius and caused a lot of trouble and mischief. I smirked slightly, remembering that the goblin had made Arthur half man, half donkey.

At that moment, I wasn't able to contain the goblin, so I made my way back to my quarters to begin my plan to capture the goblin. I settled on my bed for an hour reading my magic book that I hide under a floorboard. After a while, I heard movement in the room next door. I hurried to hide my book back under the floorboard. I heard a polite knock at the door, so I got up immediately to answer the door. I opened it to find the girl who had been constantly occupying my thoughts. I grinned towards her and moved aside for her to enter.

"I need to talk to you; you're the only one I can trust." I instantly recognised the graveness tone to her sweet voice. I patted the bed next to me, letting her know that I was there for her. _I always will be._ She smiled gratefully and sat down next to me.

"What's troubling you?" I worried about what she was about to tell me. Was she hurt? Was she alright? If anyone had hurt her then I don't know what I would do. She hesitated, fiddling with the loose threads hanging for the sides of her scarlet dress. To urge her to speak, I gently touched her leg, calming her and showing my friendship. "You can trust me." She blushed slightly and looked up at me; her green pools glancing up through a cluster of eyelashes.

"It was yesterday. I saw... I saw something. I had bumped into Gwen and offered to do some laundry for her. While I was collecting water, I saw something. Something small and green and ugly. It had jet black hair tied up on top of its head. Its wrinkled skin was covered in markings and its ears were pointed. I think I saw a goblin, Merlin. Before you go telling me that I'm lying or was hallucinating, I know exactly what I saw." My mind was whirring, piecing together all that she had said and matched it to my own sighting. _Could I trust her?_ Of course I could. I was blessed to know that she had the confidence to confide in me. Maybe she feels the same way? Don't be stupid, Merlin. She's a lady; you're just a serving boy.

"I saw it too." Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. "I also have a theory on why it's here. The tournament that is coming up has the prize of 500 gold coins. Goblins cannot resist gold and 500 gold coins is an amount a goblin would take the effort to steal."

"The trouble it could cause worries me; we're going to need to do something about it before it can hurt anyone." I nodded in agreement. "Have you got any ideas?"

"A goblin's weakness is lead. If we could find or make a lead container of some kind, we could trap it in that. We could lure it into the box with gold." I remembered reading about goblins before I captured it on my previous encounter. My suggestion was not a bad one, and Catherine agreed heartily with it. We decided to work together; combine our abilities to increase our chances.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything. Everything you have done and have agreed to do for me. You are a true friend. "She wrapped her arms around me; everything she felt was seeping through her delicate touch and into my very soul. I was comforted and warmed by her actions, causing me to copy them. Our embrace caused time to stop, our embrace causing my heart to flutter, our embrace heightened my emotions. It was destiny, it had to end sometime. The time came around way too soon when Gaius closed the book he had been studying. We broke apart, both of us blushing deeply. Catherine curtseyed politely to me, and swept graciously from the room. I watched her go; her floor length dress swirled around her feet as she floated elegantly across the flagstone floor. A sharp glint drew my attention towards the floor. I bent down, curious, to pick up the small and delicate object. It was a ring. It was quite different from Gwen's, it was much more minimal. It had runes engraved around the outside of it in a language I was not familiar with. My previous suspicions of Catherine's magical ability were resurrected. _Maybe she does have magic after all..._


	7. Chapter 7

Where is it? Where on earth is it?! Ever since I had gotten back to my room, I felt like I had missed something. My usual observant self had been swept away by the more infatuated me; the one that he makes me become. My fingers went to scratch the back of my neck; something I often did when I was trying to remember something. Then it struck me. The cold metallic touch of my ring on my exposed neck was absent. Oh no! My mother had given me that ring. She gave it to me the night before ... the incident. I had to find that ring, and quickly. My powers could be discovered if the ring were to fall into the wrong hands. My fate would soon turn grizzly if that were to happen.

"Catherine? Are you there?" His distinctive voice came floating through the thick wood, softly cascading into my ear. I hurriedly marched to the door, my legs eagerly compelling me to get closer to him. I smiled as I was soon greeted by his now familiar face. My smile dropped. His expression was, however, what made my smile fade so quickly. He bore the face of someone who knew something, something important, something that should never be known.

"Come in." I stuttered nervously, not quite sure or looking forward to what kind of bomb he would drop on me. He strode into my chambers, his back turned to me. Oh dear, that can't be good.

"I know, Catherine."

"You know? You know what?" He slowly turned to face me.

"I know your secret." My eyes widened in horror. No. This can't be happening. How can he possibly know? "I found this. You left it behind." His clenched fist extended out towards me. He uncurled his fingers to reveal the object that lay buried beneath them. My ring. I sharply inhaled. This is the start of the end. "You have magic." He barely said it, a mere whisper. A hint of accusation darkened his melodic voice. I walked briskly over to the window, starting out at the gracious stone walls that have quickly wormed their way into my heart. It had become a habit for me to look out across the whole of Arthur's lands and rid myself of unwanted memories or thoughts.

"You're right. I can't hide it anymore." I turned to him, honesty and my want to confide in him streaming through my facial features. "I have magic. Please, don't tell anyone. I will surely die if Arthur finds out. I swear I'm not doing anyone any harm; I just want to hel-" My pleading speech was soon silenced by Merlin's embrace. I had no time to react to his act of friendship as Merlin retracted his arms way too soon for my liking. He held me comfortingly at arms length, his eyes locked onto mine.

"You mean way too much to me. I could never let that happen to you. Don't worry, you can trust me."

"I do."

"Well, since I know your secret, it's only fair that you should know mine."

"No, Merlin. You don't have to do that." He turned around, his eyes roaming the room for something. He stalked over to my hope chest, his arms searching rapidly through it.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see." He extracted a small marble statuette of a bird that I had made. He set it on the floor as he stood above it, his hand hovering over it. "Bebiede þe arisan cwicumv." His eyes flashed orange as the marble bird transformed into a living, breathing creature. It picked itself up and flew through my open window. My mouth was open in shock, my eyes following the flight of the bird.

"You have magic." I turned back to Merlin in astonishment. "Wh- why did you show me that?"

"I wanted to prove to you that you can trust me. You can trust me with your secret, I can trust you with mine." I smiled slightly at his logic, knowing now, truly and forever that I could tell Merlin anything and know he will safeguard my secrets from anyone. Relief rushing through me, I flung and arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." I whispered into his ear. "You have no idea how much you have lifted from my shoulders." I kissed him lightly on the cheek before removing my arms from his neck. Merlin's face was a mixture of astonishment and blush. I giggled slightly at his speechless expression. Still unable to talk, he bowed slightly and hurried from the room. What a boy he was. What a boy...

"Come on, Arthur! Stop being such a slow coach!" I shouted back at the King who was lingering behind. My mind was now free of thoughts of the goblin. Me and Merlin had combined our magic to outsmart the green pest. We trapped it in a box and left it in the very bottom of Camelot's vaults where no one would ever find it. In the months that had past, Merlin and I had only grown closer. We had helped each other out of many difficult situations and had managed to save each other's lives more times than we can count.

Arthur and his people had welcomed me into the kingdom and I was very glad of that. I was relieved to find that my fear of not being accepted here had not come to light.

I smirked at the recent memories of me kicking Arthur's butt in recent tournaments. He still won't admit that he had been beaten by a girl. Me and Gwen often jest about the stupid things Arthur does and how we reacts to his losses. We had become fast friends.

I was still unsure as to how to tell Merlin about my feelings for him. Since I had met him, they had only intensified by every second I spent with him. I feel like I'm going to burst if I don't let him know soon. The fear that I'll be rejected and tossed to the curb held me in a tight grip. Even though, as a noblewoman, I have the power to force Merlin to accept me, I would never do that to him. It was too cruel. I could never be happy in a relationship like that anyway. What's the point of devoting yourself to another if you do not wish to?

Camelot. Whenever I see it's turrets on the horizon, something inside me stirs. A feeling of anticipation, knowing what awaits me there is friendship, family and maybe love. I am proud to call Camelot mine.

Camelot. My home.


End file.
